Traffic lights are well known and typically comprise a trio of lights aligned vertically. Depending on which light is illuminated, a motorist facing the light on an associated street is directed whether to proceed through an intersection, proceed with caution, or to stop and not enter the intersection. The ability for motorists to clearly see which of the three lights is illuminated from a distance is critical in ensuring the safe flow of traffic through an intersection.
To prevent the buildup of snow and ice on the colored lenses of the lights and to help shade the lights in bright sunlight, many traffic lights include visors (or fairings) that extend around the lights except for an opening at the bottom thereof to permit water to flow and snow to fall therefrom. Sometimes these visor enclosures have performed as desired.
In the past under certain circumstances, such as heavy snow storms with blowing snow, snow tended to build up in front of the lenses of prior art traffic signals; however, because the underlying lights were incandescent they gave off a significant amount of heat that melted the snow and prevented the lenses from becoming covered, thus maintaining suitable visibility.
In the recent past, state and federal government regulations have dictated that all traffic lights be changed over to brighter and presumably more visible LED type bulbs. Since LED lights are much more energy efficient than incandescent lights of similar output, they do not generate sufficient heat to melt snow that can accumulate on the lens in heavy snow storms.
A brief summary of some prior art references follows below.
Pub.No. U.S. 2012/0119672 to Meyer discloses a dome shaped shield placed at the outermost edge of a traditional visor.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,581,308 (2017) to Watkins discloses a cylindrical lens having a slanted convex front cutout, the lens fits around the LED traffic light. The slanted cutout supports a domed shield in front of the traffic light.
JP 2003109187A [Munesawa] discloses a display in which snowing on the surface of the display can be prevented, a light unit 5 A of a signal lighting having a hood 10 and a transparent snowing-proof plate 31 is arranged in front of this light unit 5A while being inclined forward. This snowing-proof plate 31 is incorporated inside the hood 10 through a packing 32, and a space 34 is formed from a transparent resin cover 6. Wind 36 is decelerated on the surface of the snowing-proof plate 31 air uniformly flows obliquely downward along with the relevant surface and blows out snow on the snowing-proof plate 31 (Abstract; FIG. 3).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,418 [Hochstein] discloses casing 42 surrounding the base 36 of the heat sink, and insulating material 44 is disposed between the base 36 and the casing 42 to limit heat transfer to the heat sink from outside the casing 42, i.e., from sources other than the LEDs 28. Transparent cover 46 is retained within the shell 38 by a weather seal 48, casing 14 defines a heat shield surrounding the thermally insulating material 44 to act as an additional barrier to heat transfer into the heat sink 36 (FIG. 8; Column 5, Lines 35-65; Claims 1-7).
The Following Non-Patent Literature Articles are Noted:    1. “SNOW SENTRY”, Fortran, fortrantraffic.com, accessed: February 2018. http://www.fortrantraffic.com/shop/signals/snow-sentry-snw008/. Discloses a device that when installed over the led module reduces the potential build-up of snow and ice on lens.    2. “Snow Scoop Visor,” McCain®, mccain-inc.com, accessed: February 2018. https://www.mccain-inc.com/products/signals/signalaccessories/scoop-tunnel-visor discloses advanced signal visors that combat snow buildup on signal lenses in cold climates, louvered. vent on top, coupled with an open bottom help funnel air across the face of the lens reducing snow accumulation.    3. “Safetran Systems CLS-20R. Railroad Signal Light,” eBay, ebay.com, seller: wcartey, ebay item number: 282807541745, Feb. 8, 2018. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Safetran-Sytems-CLS-20R-Railroad-Signal-Light-/282807541745 discloses a traffic signal with an extended shield,    4. Adreama,“Traffic light visor,” adreama.blogspot.com, Jun. 9, 2012. http://adreama.blogspot.com/2012/06/traffic-light-visor.html discloses set of drop-down visors which could be deployed for non-functioning traffic lights, could be remotely electronically developed, allowing rapid response to traffic light failure, would be on a separate circuit to avoid both the traffic lights and the visors being out of action simultaneously.
What is needed in the art is a Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Device (MUTCD) compliant wind accelerating traffic shield that uses ambient wind to form a high speed wind blower across the face of an LED traffic signal. The present invention places a transparent cone over the LED traffic signal lens. A cylindrical opaque wing or visor surrounds the peripheral base of the cone, thereby creating a Bernolli's effect wind across the traffic signal lens.